SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavara munayE nama:
perumAL thirumozhi >> 9th Decad
avathArikai (Introduction)
[AzhwAr, in the pathos of dhaSarathan] laments in this pAsuram that at the time of being crowned as the king, kaikEyi has connived to make you [SrI rAma] to go to the forest.
van thALin iNai vaNangi vaLa nagaram thozhudhEththa mannanAvAn
ninRAyai ariyaNai mEl irundhAyai nedungAnam padarappOgu
enRAL em irAmAvO! unaip payandha kaikEsi than soRkEttu
nanRAga nAnilaththai ALviththEn nanmaganE! unnai nAnE
Word-by-Word Meanings
em irAmAvO – Oh our SrI rAma!
val thALin iNai vaNangi – (after you) worshipped the two strong, divine feet of nArAyaNan (who always protects, without giving up, those who surrendered to him)
vaLam nagaram – people in the fertile city of ayOdhyA
thozhudhu Eththa – to remain after performing anjali (cupping the hands together)
mannan AvAn ninRAyai – one who was to be crowned as the king
ari aNai mEL irundhAyai – you, who were ready to get on to the regal throne
nedum kAnam padara pOgu enRAL – (kaikEyi) told (you) to go to the forest, which is difficult to enter
nal maganE – Oh my son, who always listens to my commands!
nAn – I (dhaSaratha chakravarthi)
unai payandha kaikEsi than sol kEttu – listening to the words of kaikEsi, who begot you
nanRAga unnai nAnilaththai ALviththEn – made you to rule this world, very beautifully
Simple Translation
Oh SrI rAma! After you had worshipped the divine feet of SrIman nArAyaNan, the people of the fertile city of ayOdhyA saluted you as you were ready to be crowned as the king and were about to sit on the regal throne. Listening to the words of kaikEyi, who begot you, I made you to rule this world beautifully, by asking you to go to the forest, which is difficult to enter.
vyAkyAnam(Commentary)
van thALin iNai vaNangi – just as it has been said in SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam 6-1 “saha pathnyA viSAlAkshyA nArAyaNam upAgamath” (along with his wife, sIthAp pirAtti, who has wide eyes, SrI rAma worshipped SrIman nArAyaNa), as part of his ascending the throne [of ayOdhyA], SrI rAma had worshipped SrI ranganAtha [SrI ranganAtha was in ayOdhyA prior to coming to SrI rangam]. Though dhaSaratha chakravarthi was ruling the entire world under his regal umbrella, apart from prostrating before him, his father, SrI rAma worshipped the divine feet of periya perumAL, who had affirmed that he would never give up on his devotee. nammAzhwAr, in his thiruvAimozhi 1-2-10 had said “vaN pugazh nAraNan thiN kazhal” (SrIman nArAyaNan has auspicious qualities; his divine feet will not give up [his devotes who attain them]). This verse is in line with nammAzhwAr’s verse.
vaLa nagaram thozhudhEththa – the city of ayOdhyA was well decorated in anticipation of the ascension event. Such that the people of the city would worship and praise . . . .
mannanAvAn ninRAyai – having completed all the activities which were to be done as part of the ascension to the throne, you, who had tied the auspicious thread on your wrist . . .
ariyaNai mEl irundhAyai – you, who had almost had one foot on the throne, having completed all the preparatory activities towards that
nedungAnam padarap pOgu enRAL – just as it has been said in SrI rAmAyaNam bAlakANdam 1-30 “thE vanEna vanam gathvA nadhIsthIrthvA bahUdhakA:” (they (sIthAp pirAtti, SrI rAma and lakshmaNa) travelled from one forest to another, crossing many waters), kaikEyi told you to go to from one forest to another, which was deeper than the earlier one. And which, leave alone kings, even common people will not enter.
em irAmAvO – in line with the etymology “ramayathi ithirAma:” (rAma is one who makes everyone to be happy), your name refers to the quality of removing all hurdles to those who think of you or who recite your name or who see you. She [kaikEyi] asked such a person to go to the forest.
unaip payandha kaikEsi than sol kEttu – SrI rAmAyaNam ayOdhyA kANdam SlOkam 7-35 says “rAmE vA bharathE vAham viSEsham nOpalakshayE l thasmAth thushtAsmi yadhrAjA rAmam rAjyE’bhishEkshyathi ll” (I do not see any difference between SrI rAma and bharatha. Hence, I am happy about SrI rAma being anointed as the king). kaikEyi was more affectionate towards SrI rAma than his mother, kOsalai. Due to this, I [dhaSaratha], desirous of seeing her happiness, told her about my decision of anointing you for the crown, even ahead of kOsalai. Hearing the words of such kaikEyi, who was more than your biological mother . . . .
nanRAga nAnilaththai ALviththEn – she [kaikEyi], who was good, became deceptive, after hearing the words of kUni [manthara, kaikEyi’s servitor]. Not knowing this, thinking that she is your mother, I told her about the ascension to the throne. But I got caught in the quagmire of her boons. The way I made you to rule the entire world was indeed beautiful [with sarcasm].
nan maganE unnai nAnE – though I had done like this [to you], you stood in the righteous path of listening to and holding true the words of parents. I had given you my word that I will make you to ascend the throne; but, due to the infatuation which I had towards kaikEyi, I could not deny her the boons which she had sought and as a result, I went back on my word to you.
We will next take up the second pAsuram of this decad.
adiyEn krishNa rAmAnuja dhAsan
archived in https://divyaprabandham.koyil.org
pramEyam (goal) – https://koyil.org
pramANam (scriptures) – http://granthams.koyil.org
pramAthA (preceptors) – http://acharyas.koyil.org
SrIvaishNava education/kids portal – http://pillai.koyil.org